


Perfect

by autobotscoutriella



Series: Purimgifts: ATLA/LOK [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Backstory, Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, Gen, Pre-Canon, metalbending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22977778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autobotscoutriella/pseuds/autobotscoutriella
Summary: Kuvira has high standards for her own metalbending, even as a teenager.
Series: Purimgifts: ATLA/LOK [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668616
Comments: 14
Kudos: 15
Collections: Purimgifts 2020





	Perfect

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ambyr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambyr/gifts).



Metalbending isn’t easy, not really. It’s never come quite as easily as moving earth, which feels as natural as breathing. Metal takes effort, and practice, and every bit of work she can put into it.

As far as Kuvira is concerned, that just makes it all the more worth perfecting.

She’s been an earthbender since she was six, and she’s always been good at it. She was teaching herself before she ever started formally learning. But metal feels like its own element—part of the earth, but separated into something new. It’s crisp, and clean, and sharp, and it requires absolute focus to manipulate the tiny fragments of earth left in it. Not every earthbender can learn it.

But _she_ will.

She has a lot of people to prove herself to, now more than ever. She won’t let them—or herself—down.

Kuvira twists the metal shard into a spiral, concentrating on making each curve exactly the same. The metal takes on a life of its own under her hands, shimmering like a mirror in the sunlight.

This is what she’s meant to do. It feels right. It feels _perfect._

“Kuvira?”

Suyin Beifong’s voice isn’t loud, but it startles her so badly that before she can realize what she’s doing, she’s crushed the metal shard into a ball. The perfect spiral vanishes into a shapeless blob, undoing all her work in an instant.

“I—I didn’t hear you come in.” It’s all she can think of to say as she stares at the lump of metal, irritation warring with years of politeness drilled in by parents and caretakers. She can’t snap at someone who’s shown her so much hospitality for the last five years—but her work is _ruined_.

“I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Su moves closer, as if meaning to put an arm around Kuvira’s shoulders. Without really meaning to, Kuvira straightens her shoulders and lifts her chin, practically telegraphing _no thank you,_ and Suyin stops a step away and clears her throat.

“You’ve been practicing alone in here for quite a while. I thought perhaps you’d like to join us outside.”

“Oh, I don’t mind practicing alone.” She doesn’t, though there’s more to it than that. She wants her metalbending to be absolutely flawless before she tries it in front of Su and her family. After all, there’s an awful lot to live up to, considering who _invented_ the discipline that she’s now learning. And now that she has to redo the spiral from the beginning—

No, no one needs to watch her struggle with that. She _won’t_ fail in front of an audience.

Su looks dubious, but nods anyway. “Well, if you change your mind, we’d love for you to join us. You’re a very talented earthbender. I think others could learn a lot from watching you.”

“Really?” That’s enough to draw Kuvira’s attention away from the disappointing lump of metal.

“Of course. You’ve picked up metalbending very quickly, and I think practicing with others would be good for them—and you.” Su sweeps her skirt out of the way and sits down beside Kuvira. Kuvira finds herself trying not to mentally compare their seated heights—she’s as tall as Su now, and she didn’t even realize it. “I know you don’t mind practicing alone, but working with others can open brand-new doors that are much harder to reach alone.”

Her heart sinks slightly at that, though she turns away and tries not to let it show on her face. “Oh.”

“Kuvira, I didn’t mean that as a _bad_ thing.” Kuvira doesn’t look up, but Su’s practically projecting concern across the room. “You’ve seen my metalbending dance troupe practicing, yes?”

“Of course I have.” She’s all but studied them at every public practice and performance, and tried to mimic their moves when practicing herself, but she doesn’t feel the need to admit that. “They’re amazing. I’d love to be able to bend that well someday.”

“They are very talented.” She can hear Su’s smile in her tone. “But we accomplish what we do by working together as _one_. No metalbender could do any of those things easily alone, but together we can create great things. Would you ever consider practicing with us?”

The metal in Kuvira’s hand curls upward into a cup shape as she tightens her grip on it, manipulating the metal without thinking about it. “You’d really let me do that?”

“I’d be thrilled if you did.” This time, Su places her hand carefully over Kuvira’s, brushing the metal just lightly enough to smooth out the curve of the edge. “I’ve seen your talents, and I believe you would be an excellent dancer. I’d love to see what you could do with us.”

 _Together we can create great things. She wants_ me _—Suyin Beifong wants_ me _to join her dance troupe!_ She can’t hide the excitement welling up in her chest. “I’d—I would be honored. I’d _love_ to join you.”

But what if she can’t live up to those expectations? She knows she hasn’t mastered metalbending yet. What if…

“…I would like to practice alone today, if it won’t throw off your practice schedule.” She takes a deep breath, centering herself as much as she can, and focuses on the metal in her hand again. Slowly, steadily, the metal begins to twist together, this time in a precise double spiral that joins where it touches her palm. “Maybe I could join you for tomorrow’s session?”

“That would be lovely.” Su pats her hand and stands up. “I’ll look forward to it.”

Kuvira waits until Su’s footsteps are no longer echoing through the atrium before carefully setting the piece of metal down and allowing herself just one moment of unbridled _glee._

She’s going to have to work hard. Harder than she ever has before.

But she _will_. She _will_ master metalbending. She _will_ live up to Su’s expectations.

No. She’ll _exceed_ them.

She’ll be perfect.


End file.
